BlueMaxMtl
8th November 2008, 01:54
Winter is coming upon many of us who live in snow-laden climates. Most of us store our sharks so that they will treat us well in the spring.
There has long been an argument over raising a car during winter storage and leaving it on the ground. In the end, leaving it on the ground with an elevated tire pressure seems to make more sense as no damage to the expensive shock absorbers occur when they remain fully extended.
Here's a brief list of what we do on our P-Cars prior to winter storage:
1) Replace engine oil & filter
2) Top up fuel & add fuel stabilizer to the tank (StaBil)
3) Pump up all four tires to 50 PSI
4) Use 1 or 2 Amp trickle charger to keep battery full. Note that if you have a LoJack or Boomerang vehicle tracking module installed on your car, you may have to either run with a 2 Amp trickle charger leaving the battery connected or a 1 or 2-Amp trickle charger with the battery disconnected.
5) If storing car in an outdoor shed or garage, cover all intake and exhaust ports with material so that rodents will not nest in your ride
6) Do not wash the car immediately prior to storing. If washed, drive the car a bit to evaporate moisture
7) Do not start vehicle periodically during the winter months. Studies have shown that this procedure actually increases wear on engine and drivetrain components. The engine cylinders will always have a thin film of oil on them during the winter months. Also, you will accumulate moisture in your exhaust system which may eventually lead to premature corrosion of certain exhaust components.
8) If space permits, shift car to neutral (w/o starting) and periodically move the car frontwards and backwards to further reduce chance of flatspotting.
Using a piece of tape as a marker, mark all 4-wheels (once parked) to display tire position to ease choice of future positioning. I personally use four thick rubber mats under my tires to prevent them from staying in extended contact with the cold concrete during winter months. These mats are actually made from recycled rubber tires and are destined for use on outdoor stairways to prevent slippage. I've purchased two and cut them both in half.
I park my car, mark the area where the tires will be positioned during storage and then place the mats where the marks were made.
One important note is to remember to reduce the tire pressure back to factory specs prior to your first drive. Stay Safe!:D
There has long been an argument over raising a car during winter storage and leaving it on the ground. In the end, leaving it on the ground with an elevated tire pressure seems to make more sense as no damage to the expensive shock absorbers occur when they remain fully extended.
Here's a brief list of what we do on our P-Cars prior to winter storage:
1) Replace engine oil & filter
2) Top up fuel & add fuel stabilizer to the tank (StaBil)
3) Pump up all four tires to 50 PSI
4) Use 1 or 2 Amp trickle charger to keep battery full. Note that if you have a LoJack or Boomerang vehicle tracking module installed on your car, you may have to either run with a 2 Amp trickle charger leaving the battery connected or a 1 or 2-Amp trickle charger with the battery disconnected.
5) If storing car in an outdoor shed or garage, cover all intake and exhaust ports with material so that rodents will not nest in your ride
6) Do not wash the car immediately prior to storing. If washed, drive the car a bit to evaporate moisture
7) Do not start vehicle periodically during the winter months. Studies have shown that this procedure actually increases wear on engine and drivetrain components. The engine cylinders will always have a thin film of oil on them during the winter months. Also, you will accumulate moisture in your exhaust system which may eventually lead to premature corrosion of certain exhaust components.
8) If space permits, shift car to neutral (w/o starting) and periodically move the car frontwards and backwards to further reduce chance of flatspotting.
Using a piece of tape as a marker, mark all 4-wheels (once parked) to display tire position to ease choice of future positioning. I personally use four thick rubber mats under my tires to prevent them from staying in extended contact with the cold concrete during winter months. These mats are actually made from recycled rubber tires and are destined for use on outdoor stairways to prevent slippage. I've purchased two and cut them both in half.
I park my car, mark the area where the tires will be positioned during storage and then place the mats where the marks were made.
One important note is to remember to reduce the tire pressure back to factory specs prior to your first drive. Stay Safe!:D